How does the higher education system work?

In recent decades higher education has undergone considerable changes in terms of organisation and contents. Slovenia's higher education system has a twin-track structure: professionally oriented (vocational) higher education and academic higher education.

Higher vocational education is provided by higher vocational colleges that offer two-year vocational education at the sub-degree level (short-cycle, ISCED 5B). The Higher Vocational Education Act (2004) places this type of education within the tertiary education area and through the possibility of vertical 120 credits establishes links with further professional studies at the degree-level.

Academic higher education is offered by public or private universities and single higher education institutions. Universities and single faculties can offer both academic and professional study programmes, while professional colleges offer only professional study programmes.

In 2004 a three-level study structure for higher education was adopted. The first level relates to undergraduate studies and the second and third levels to postgraduate studies. The duration of undergraduate study programmes is limited in years (three to four years) and credit points (180 to 240 credit points). The second level is for the study of Masters degrees encompassing 60 to 120 credit points and takes one or two years to complete. The third level is for Doctoral studies and lasts three years.

Students from EU member states enjoy the same conditions of study as Slovene students. The situation for students from countries outside EU depends on the existence of a mutual bilateral agreement between Slovenia and the country. Where such an agreement exists, the students are considered to have all of the same study benefits as the EU students.

Higher vocational education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Sport, whiles higher education falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.